There area also adjustable stops around the tailgate opening...I do believe they are slightly different based on build date. Since the facelifts have the SCA (soft close actuation)...these "stops" are different than the pre facelift models. See #35 in diagram below (next to struts in diagram).

Make sure no one has turned these stops and lowered them...which would make them not give enough lift to the tailgate when released...thus the SCA will immediately close the tailgate if it's within the range it's designed to catch and close it.

Or make sure they haven't been damaged by people slamming the tailgate shut not knowing there's a soft close feature.

Thanks - I'll try that before i buy new struts.

Those stops - part #35 - were updated. Went from a piece of rubber on an adjustable screw to a spring loaded mechanism. I switched mine (cures hatch rattle) but had one go flat about a year later, so check if you have the adjustable version or springy version and if both springs are still bouncy.

Thanks everyone, this is awesome! I appreciated the helps and learned a lot from you all. The explanation does make sense. I am ordering new shocks and a pair of the springs now. I will let you know how things go.
Thanks again!

Ok, I change out both shocks/struts on the liftgate this morning and I am so disappointed because the issue didn't get resolved. Obviously, the struts were not the culprit but something else with the open/close latch mechanism went bad on the door. My next chance is to install the springs when they come in. Hopefully the springs will lift the gate up an extra inch or so so that I can open the door. I still need help to pinpoint the exact cause though. Thanks!
2005 X5 3.0i

QSilver7: about the part #35, someone here mentioned that there is a replacement stop with a spring. Where can I order these? Mines are now just rubber stops with adjustable screws. They look hardened and dry? so they may provide no lift... In the mean time, should I try to raise these runner stops just a bit?
Thanks,
2005 X5 3.0i

No, the latch releases and you lift the gate to open. When you close the gate, just close it enough that the latch can grab, it will finish closing itself.

I think I am reading what might happen if the switch that detects that the door is closed is working when it shouldn't be. The car thinks the lid is closed, and the latch motor is performing the self closing step where it latches on its own, the problem is that you are wanting to open the lid so the latch just finished opening and now it is closing again at the wrong time.

The latched released position and the latch self close actuation position is the same.

The system determines if the lid was lowered to close or released from closed position and then decides whether to activate the soft close or not.

All of that is determined in the soft close latch assembly.

It seems to be a mechanical system, sort of a cycle based system.. Was not able to sort it out as I was just happy to get it working again. I had to put a prop between two internal pieces for it to work again.

Downside is that when releasing the latch it will immediately suck it in again, so I have to pull it up immediately when opening. No more opening the hatch from the inside.

Well, there's always your local BMW dealership's parts dept...or one of the BMW dealerships that advertise nationally online. And there are the other online vendors. :)

With the 11 digit BMW part nbr (51 24 7 171 557/558 {left/right}) you can shop online or give that number to your local parts dept.

I also found an old thread here on xoutpost that discussed this new design. And it looks like its the only one BMW sells now...because regardless of the build date you input in the part database...it gives this same 11 digit BMW part nbr for item #35 in the diagram.

Here's a link to a past discussion about stopper #35 in the diagram...but interestingly...the results leaned more toward it stopping a noise issue with the tailgate: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...top-issue.html

Based only on what I have read, if my car was doing this I'd want to see if the car was confused as to whether the lift gate had been lifted or not, and was then actuating the soft close feature due the confusion.

You press the button and the latch releases and the gate opens slightly. You are reporting that the latch then immediately engages and the soft-close takes place. This tells me that the car thinks the gate had been raised and lowered again, and the latch closes.

The latch does not care that the gate was raised or not -- there is nothing to tell the car that the gate was raised -- but there is a switch that tells the latch that the gate has been closed. This switch is out of adjustment somehow, or the gate is resting on the latch so heavily that the switch releases upon open, but then returns to close and the soft-close is activated.

In any case, if this was my car I'd be looking at the tailgate itself, and the latch. I might employ the assistance of a helper to push the button in the cabin while I observed what was actually happening at the back of the car. Repeat as necessary. I'd also use the button on the key to unlatch the tailgate while I observed what was happening.

Does the gate stay up by itself? If no then the gas struts are toast and the weight of the gate is telling the latch that the gate is closing when you have not finished opening it.